BEAVER TOWNSHIP — The Youngstown State women’s bowling team will begin defense of their national championship starting Wednesday when the Conference USA Tournament begins in Harahan, Louisiana.

After posting successful fall and spring seasons that saw the team finish runner-up out of 21 teams at the recent Stallings Invitational in Greensboro, North Carolina, head coach Doug Kuberski, who is in his eighth season at the helm, said his team is up to the challenge and ready to go despite boasting one of the nation’s youngest rosters.

The Penguins won the national championship a year ago with a veteran squad that included five seniors, two juniors, a sophomore and freshman on their nine-player squad.

If they are to go back-to-back, then they will do so with only one returning player, a junior transfer and six freshmen who comprise this year’s contingent.

“I feel like this season has been incredibly special in so many ways,” Kuberski told the group assembled for Monday’s meeting at Avion Banquet Center. “This group, six freshmen, one sophomore and one junior transfer, which is currently ranked in the top-10 in the nation, is in solid position to make a run in the NCAA tournament. It has been a lot of fun so far but we still have some business to finish.”

Jacksonville State – 2024 national champions and runners-up to YSU a season ago – is currently the nation’s top-ranked team heading into the conference tournament with the defending champion Penguins ranked seventh, right behind Vanderbilt, Arkansas State, Nebraska, Louisiana Tech and first-round opponent, Wichita State.

Maryville (MO), Sam Houston State and Sacred Heart round out the most recent top-10 listing.

“In the conference tournament, we are playing all of the top teams so if you expect to make the NCAA tournament and advance to the Final Four, there isn’t much room for error,” Kuberski said. “The wonderful thing about this team is that someone different has stepped up at every tournament. A different name has provided the heroics and if we can get everyone clicking at the same time then that is what it is going to take, a complete effort.

“We need to clean up some of the mistakes we have made, me included, and we are all going to need to be the best version of ourselves. If we are even close to that, then we’ve got a good chance of winning the whole thing. You have the usual suspects like Jacksonville State, the team we bowled last year on TV in the finals. They are the No. 1 seed and the team to beat. They have done a great job this year, plus teams like Vanderbilt, Arkansas State and Nebraska are up there as well so the top-four teams are all there and we will be bowling against Wichita State in the first-round, another team that can win it all. Keep an eye on Louisiana Tech so essentially, Conference USA teams have all been outstanding and are capable of winning the entire thing. There are no freebies out there, whatever team you bowl. We are going to have to bring our ‘A game’ to make a deep run, but I think that we have all the components in place and can do it.”

Kuberski’s squad has matured since finishing fourth out of 18 teams when they hosted their season opening tournament, the Chelsea Gilliam Penguin Classic at Holiday Bowl in Struthers this past October.

“In their own way, they have all created their own identity,” Kuberski said. “Different players in different spots have stepped up in different ways and you tend to gravitate to the most senior players, like our junior transfer, Amy Chrzanowski and last year’s lone returnee, Kara Beissel. They have done a solid job, plus some of the freshmen have also stepped in at times and filled those shoes. It has also been a blessing to have coach Madyson Marx, one of those seniors last year who led us to the national championship. She’s our graduate assistant this year and her role cannot be understated.”

In addition to Chrzanowski (198.10 average) and Beissel (200.07), the six freshmen rounding out this year’s roster include Boardman High graduate Kaitlyn Greenaway (189.10), Liv Baskin (196.80), Leyna Kratzer (200.02), Amber Mason (190.04), Amber Spicer (173.00) and Gianna Varano (190.09).

“Amy is our transfer from Fairleigh-Dickinson University,” Kuberski said. “It took her a little while in the fall to find her footing because transferring is never easy, but she has found her stride this spring. Kara is one of our primary anchors, has been asked to shoulder the load in tough spots and has done an excellent job. Kaitlyn is our local recruit and I call her a gamer who has that ‘it’ factor. She isn’t afraid when you put her in the line-up because you know you are going to get 100 percent from her. She just goes out, attacks and is aggressive. Amber is our first ever two-handed bowler and fun to watch because she has explosive power and has one of the highest rev-rates we have ever seen.

“Liv can fill any role and was big for us last weekend at the Music City Classic in Tennessee while Leyna has battled some injuries, but averages over 200 for us. Amber has had a couple events this spring where she has averaged 200-plus while we have put Gianna at the top of the line-up in the No. 1 and No. 2 spots. She has great energy, gives us a lot of good reads with how accurate she is and has done a fantastic job in those two slots.”

Academically, the Penguins have recorded one of the top six grade-point averages in the country in each of Kuberski’s first five full seasons, ranking in the top 20 every season under his leadership.

They posted the nation’s top cumulative GPA in 2022-23, placing second overall in 2021-22.

“I definitely see us being in the top-10 this year,” he said. “It is always difficult when you are a freshman because there is a lot of newness and so many things you must juggle as a student-athlete. I do my darndest to give them time for themselves, time to recover, rest and take care of their academics. I definitely see us as a top-10 team moving forward, perhaps top-five as they progress because they are very disciplined in their studies and tremendous in the classroom.”

Next week, Struthers native Tom Bochenek, who is in sports media relations with several national networks and works closely with all three Cleveland professional sports teams, will serve as guest speaker.